The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-25
MALE AND FEMALE SHOPPERS.
Men Who Can Make Better Bargains
Than Their Conceited Wives.


A young lady with manner compounded
of maidenly modesty and matronly supe-
riority, which suggested short experience
of married life, walked into a downtown
gents furnishing store the other day, ac-
companied by an elderly lady who might
have been her husbands mother-in-law.
The old lady deposited herself upon stool
while the younger ran her hand over pile
of flannel shirts in manner to display her
perfect familiarity with gentlemen's wear
ing apparel.
whats the priceF' she asked of the
smiling clerk who leaned over with his
hands on the counter, his arms and body
bowed with accommodating grace.
'Three-'n-a-half, num-"
Three dollars and a half Isn't that
high for understands"
The clerk explained that the garments
she referred to were not undershirts, but
the wooden outer shirts now so popular with
gentlemen
The lady blushed and looked to see if any
one else had observed her display of ig
norance.
"Well, of course; but guess won't take
those this time. Give me half a dozen gents
white gauze undershirtS.
Then, with self-satisfied air, she ran her
eyes over the stock of long-legged and di-
verS articles of doubtful and uncertain SER
vice in a mans wardrobe.
"What sizen asked the clerk, as he ran
his hand up the sides of the stock of green
pasteboard boxes.
"Oh, er-er-er, the usual size, of course"
replied the lady.
about -" hestated the clerk, and the
young matron turned imploring eyes upon
her husbands mother-in-law and tried to
look composed
"Why-why-oh forty-eight!" spoke up
the old lady, plunging into the dilemma
with a recklessneSs that established her do
nestle standing.
rs he very large MANI asked the clerk,
hesitating with the box half off the shelf.
About your size
Then | guess a thirty-two will be large
enough" and the little man stood on the
counter to reach the small sizes.
II never saw young married woman who
| did not want to buy all her husbands
clothes for him. said the clerk to a reporter,
as the customer tripped out of the store
with a little bundle under her arm. 'And
never knew one who didn't think all mems
clothing was the same size. Those shirts
will be changed three times before the right
| fit is got. By the time she has been mar
ried ten years, though, she will know all
about it. Her husband won't buy a collar
| for himself. She will learn all the arts of
trade She will have him completely
| ture of every garment. She will keep him
supplied with clothes and will not spend as
much money as he would"
do many women buy their husbands
| clothes~ asked the reporter, with premo-
milton Of the decline of his domestic dorni-
| nation.
Lots of them. They begin by impress
| ing their husbands with the idea that
women can buy cheaper than men. They
| gradually that
| for man to attempt to buy anything for
himself would be for him to recklessly throw
himself into the teeth of sharks. After that
| she buys him 69c shirts that don't fit in the
neck, last years hats at half price, and suits
| that have been reduced from SIS to So He
is forced to acknowledge that he never be-
| fore paid so little for an outfit, and the
wife's reputation and future position is es-
tablished"
rs it true that women can buy
cheaperF'
mo They buy lower-priced goods, but
no cheaper. The man whose wife buys his
clothes is nearly always poorly dressed
There is no style about him. OF course
there are exceptions, but they are rare. If
you see a man got up in Cheap John fash
| ion, with baggy trousers, a coat that don't
fit, with his collar and neckband at vari-
ance, and understood cuffs, you may guess
| that his wife dressed him."
ut is just the contrary when man has a
fancy for buying his wife's Clothes" the
clerk went on. Such men are rare Most
men are, or profess to be, sublimely ignor-
] ant of ladies' apparel. Some, however, bny
nearly every article of clothing worn by wife
or daughters. Their excuse is that they have
good taste and they always buy expensive
goods | have two such men in mind Just
| at this moment; one is man of family and
buys for his wife and daughters. He selects
everything from a silk dress to ribbons and
fine undergarments. He buys even the
baby clothes. The other is young man,
| whose mothers and sisters would not buy a
bonnet or dress without his being present to
approve.
1 "TheSe men are exceptions Most of
I those who come to buy ladies' apparel
affect to know nothing of the subject, and
| throw themselves upon the tender merces
of the lady clerks. They become confiden-
tial, in their ignorance, and we have to be
very watchful to see that the young ladies
don't trick them. These ignorant gentle
men shoppers are generally those whose
wives are out of town, and they take the
| Young ladies of the stores into their conf
dence and ask their advice. 1t generally
takes them longer to buy what they want
than it would an ordinary customer.
| NEARLY every man whose family is out
of the city becomes buyer of female ap-
|
any such shopping before and know moth
ing about it, they become very assiduous
when their wives are out of town. But
they never become so expert as to be indie
pendent of the saleswomen. They general
iy come in with long list of things they
are to buy for their wife, who has sent the
list by mail. They declare at once that they
would not know any Of the articles by
sight or description, so the man and his
list are placed in charge of one Of
the young ladies, who is instructed to give
him the best of everything at proper prices,
and not to attempt in any way to take ad-
vantage of his innocence There is often a
disposition among sprightly young ladies
to take advantage of gentleman left at
their mercy, unprotected by his wife, and
it is necessary to give the young lady very
careful instructions. IT would astonish you
to know how many men do ladies' shopping
while their families are away for the sum